Corset Le Furet 1901

This is Leonetto Cappiello’s poster for Corset Le Furet. This commercial image encapsulates early twentieth-century ideals of beauty, entwined with notions of hygiene, elegance, and suppleness. The figure, cinched tightly into a red corset, embodies the era’s restrictive yet romanticized standards for women. It’s interesting to note how the advertisement contrasts "la souplesse de l'orientale" – or the Oriental’s flexibility – with French grace, reflecting the exoticism and racial undertones prevalent in the European imagination at the time. This fusion suggests a desire to incorporate the perceived freedom of other cultures while maintaining a distinctly French elegance. It invites us to consider the complex ways identity is constructed and marketed, often drawing upon cultural stereotypes. The poster, while selling a product, also sells a vision of femininity that is both aspirational and deeply rooted in societal expectations and racial biases.